I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an ozone generator and, more particularly, to an ozone generator which can develop ozone at a very low voltage. Further, the ozone generator produces the ozone without producing the undesired by product of nitrous oxide.
Ozone is a known oxidizing agent which is useful to destroy bacteria, fungi and the like. The destruction of bacteria avoids the creation of undesired odors which are caused by such bacteria. For example, when used in water purification, such as cleaning of pools, fishing ponds, septic tanks and sewage treatment, the ozone kills the bacteria, algae and polio virus. In drinking water, the ozone acts to remove undesired minerals, such as iron, manganese, arsenic and sulfur dioxide. By the removal of this minerals, such as sulfur dioxide, the odors attendant with those minerals are not created and thus the environment becomes free from that odor. The possible uses for ozone are almost infinite and it is believed that such uses include oxidizing various minerals to thereby reduce auto and truck emissions, mortuary odors, and plant odors.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Ozone generators have, heretofore, been known. However, these generators have not, heretofore, provided the combination of a compact, portable generator which is simple in construction and needs little electrical power to operate yet provides a large output and produces ozone without the undesired by product of nitrous oxide.
For example, one of the earliest known ozone generators is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 991,767, which issued on May 11, 1911, to Armstrong. The generator, which was developed to produce a pure quality of ozone from the atmosphere under electrostatic stress, includes a plurality of horizontal plates of glass or other solid dielectrics, preferably rectangular in form, slightly separated from each other. A pair of vertical electrodes are connected at the ends of the dielectrics, and the electrodes in turn are connected to a transformer. On each of the dielectrics, except for the top and the bottom plates, there is provided a conducting material extending from one of the electrodes approximately two-thirds of the length of the plate in the direction of the opposite electrode. The conductor is preferably made of copper gauze, but can be made of tin-foil and has an edge at a right angle to the dielectric plates. An electric fan is in juxtaposition to the plurality of dielectric plates to force atmosphere in the spaces between the plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,345,798, which issued on Apr. 4, 1944, to Daily is directed to an ozone generator which comprises an air-tight housing and a series of generator units in the housing. Each generator unit includes a pair of high tension electrodes, a pair of dielectric plates, a pair of ground electrodes of aluminum or other suitable conducting material, and a pair of ozone collecting boxes.
The high tension electrodes are formed of wire screen and are cemented to the dielectric plates. The dielectric plates are made of glass or other dielectric material and are held in spaced relation with the neutral electrodes by a plurality of spacer strips which strips define ozone producing spaces between the dielectric plates and the neutral electrodes. The neutral electrodes are rectangular plates made of aluminum or other suitable conducting material.
Also, it has, heretofore, been appreciated that the dielectric plates can be made of ceramic material or some other organic substance. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,081,215, which issued on Mar. 12, 1963, to Held, et al is directed to a method of making an ozonizer electrode unit. The unit comprises two dielectric plates having embedded therebetween a flat, plate-shaped electrode. The plates are connected together by an adhesive binder and, while preferably made of glass, can be made of mica or ceramic material or some other organic substance. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 3,309,304, which issued on Mar. 14, 1967, to Caplan is directed to an ozone generator which comprises five electrodes in the form of stainless steel screens which are separated by dielectric dividers made of glass, mica, or plastic. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 3,496,092, which issued on Feb. 17, 1970, to Fraser is directed to a solid state corona generator in which spaced apart solid dielectric barriers are attached in opposing relation to the insides of the electrodes. The dielectric barriers are made of good insulators, such as fused quartz, alumina, mica mat or glass. See also, U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,492, which issued on Nov. 23, 1971, to Kinney, which is directed to an ozone generator in which the conventional glass plate dielectrics have been replaced by thin film polymeric material, such as Mylar polyester.
It has also been appreciated that the electrode elements may take a shape other than a flat plate. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,511, which issued on Sept. 14, 1982, to Owen is directed to an air purification apparatus which includes a modular generator assembly having a plurality of flattened coils of metal wire mesh disposed in a side-by-side array with dielectric plates, preferably of mica, across which an electrical potential is created. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 3,309,304 to Caplan, discussed above, provides that the electrodes are stainless steel screens.
However, the prior art fails to appreciate the combination of components of the grid assembly of the present invention. Further, the prior art also fails to provide for the use of porcelain as the material for the dielectric plates.